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Efficacy of Immersive Virtual Reality Gameplay in Environmental Attitude Change: The Case of Abandoned Offshore Oil Platforms in Santa Barbara
Get PDFPublic perception plays an important role in shaping conservation policies and decisions, especially in contested environmental spaces. Offshore oil platforms, historically viewed as environmental hazards, have been found to serve as marine habitats that support diverse marine life. However, public perception remains largely negative, influenced by concerns over pollution from past oil spill accidents. Traditional environmental education methods, such as lectures and documentaries, often fail to engage audiences effectively or shift entrenched opinions. This study explores the efficacy of immersive Virtual Reality (VR) gameplay in changing environmental attitudes, specifically in the context of abandoned offshore oil platforms in Santa Barbara, California, one of the largest artificial reef ecosystems in the world.
A gameplay-driven, interactive VR application was developed to immerse participants in a simulated underwater ecosystem, where they explored marine biodiversity near the oil platforms. Through three mini-games, participants engaged in activities designed to highlight the ecological role of offshore platforms in supporting marine life. Additionally, this VR experience also tested the use of AI-generated voice narration as a cost-effective alternative to traditional narration. A quasi-experimental study was conducted with human subject testing, utilizing pre- and post-experiment questionnaires to measure changes in participants’ awareness, perceptions, and empathy toward marine conservation. Statistical analysis using the Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test was performed to determine whether the VR intervention produced a significant shift in public perception, particularly in transforming negative opinions into more informed and positive perspectives. This study contributes to the fields of immersive technology and environmental communication by evaluating whether game-based VR experiences can reshape perceptions of historically contested environmental issues. The findings have broader implications for educators, policymakers, and conservation organizations, demonstrating how immersive VR experiences can be leveraged to promote awareness, influence public opinion, and foster deeper engagement in marine conservation efforts
Muon Veto Panel Uniformity Tests at Yale Wright Laboratory for the CUORE and CUPID Experiments and Visualizing Dirac Spinors in the Chiral Basis with the Bloch Sphere
Get PDFThis senior project is divided into three sections that describe my path and experiences in under graduate research. The first provides an introduction to the field of particle physics and the search for neutrinoless double beta decay (0νββ) with the Cryogenic Underground Observatory for Rare Events (CUORE) experiment, as well as its upgrade, CUPID (CUORE Upgrade with Particle IDentification). The second section details my contributions to these experiments, including my summer working at Yale’s Wright Laboratory on R&D for the CUPID experiment. In this section I describe my work on the experiment’s muon veto system and on light detector development on Yale’s campus. The final section focuses on my attempts to develop a visualization method for Dirac bispinors using the Bloch sphere. In order to achieve this, the relationship between phase and rotations with ordinary two component Weyl spinors must be understood. This exploration is the main objective of this phase of the research. Future work will involve modeling Majorana bispinors. It is my hope that this document will serve as an account of my undergraduate research experience to look back on as I continue in the field
Religious Spaces Reimagined: Adaptive Reuse and Community Integration in Suburbs
Get PDFTucked away in a quiet pocket of Los Angeles adjacent to Downtown known as Pico Union, a historic synagogue sat mostly empty, its congregation having long since moved on. But in 2013, the building was given a new purpose. The Pico Union Project transformed it into a multifaith and cultural center, turning what was once an underused space into a thriving community hub. Guided by the Jewish principle of ‘love your neighbor as yourself,’ its mission is to uplift and empower diverse communities through arts, social justice, and service. Now, on any given day, families stop by to pick up fresh produce, local artists showcase their work, and people gather for job training, healthcare services, and cultural events. It’s no longer just a place of worship - it’s a space where people from all walks of life come together, building connections and finding support. The Pico Union Project is a powerful example of how repurposing existing spaces can create inclusive, community-driven hubs that meet the needs of diverse religious and ethnic groups (Pico Union Project, n.d.). The issue this paper tackles is the growing trend of vacant and underused suburban strip malls and commercial spaces, especially in areas that lack accessible community hubs. Some strip malls, once bustling with retail activity, now sit largely unused or are repurposed in ways that don’t fully benefit the surrounding community. This paper explores how these spaces can be reimagined to serve as hubs for ethnic, religious, and community activities - spaces that promote social cohesion, inclusivity, and the well-being of residents
The Monday Manure
Get PDFFor my senior project, I wanted to create a new section of Mustang News that includes satire and cartoons. The section is called the Monday Manure to fit with the horse themed titles of other sections. This idea began as a project in the Media Innovation and Entrepreneurship class. While I initially had the idea to have a section that included games, I realized that it was a bit too ambitious after discussing that with the team at Mustang news. Over the course of this project, I have created several satire articles and cartoons, as well as organizing a team to produce them. I have worked closely with the web design team at Mustang News to make sure the section looked engaging but not too similar to the normal news, in order to avoid confusion. The final product will be a dropdown section under the opinion header on the Mustang News website
EverMarket:The App for Fresh Finds and Hidden Treasures
Get PDFThe purpose of this project is to discover a new way of bringing communities together when it comes to buying, selling and trading goods locally. Many smaller vendors struggle to connect with their communities while buyers often become frustrated with the lack of marketing and advertising for these markets and sales. With the help of a mobile app, sellers will be able to list their markets and sales to buyers who will be able to easily locate these local events. This concept eliminates the frustration of trying to find second-hand and fresh goods by putting them all in one place, giving buyers and sellers a centralized platform. By applying the research and design methods I have learned during my time at Cal Poly, I hope to create a platform that both organizers and shoppers can use to list and find markets, be able to keep track of future events, and support local vendors and families
Modular Construction and Integrated Project Delivery: Cal Poly SLO’s Student Housing Expansion
Get PDFCal Poly San Luis Obispo is addressing the increasing demand for on-campus housing through an innovative modular dormitory project. This project, which adds approximately 4,000 new beds, marks a shift from traditional construction methods to a more efficient and collaborative approach using the Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) model. Unlike traditional CSU contracts that place most of the risk on contractors, this model promotes shared responsibility between the university, architects, and builders, leading to better cost control and project efficiency. A key feature of this program is the use of prefabricated construction, where building components are assembled off-site and then transported to campus. This method reduces construction time, minimizes waste, and improves quality. By restructuring its contracting framework, Cal Poly has created a flexible, scalable system that can be adapted for future housing projects across the CSU system. This case study explores the planning, contract development, and execution of this groundbreaking project, offering insights into how modern construction strategies can be applied to meet the evolving needs of higher education institutions. This program serves as a model for other universities looking to expand student housing efficiently and sustainably
